Week 6: Storytelling and Transitions

We shifted into this transition week by celebrating Lunar New Year, Lent, and the start of Ramadan. It felt fitting that so many people in Yogyakarta are marking a transition into a new season while our SSTers begin their preparations for 6 weeks of service. 

We visited Klenteng Poncowinatan, a Chinese Temple, to mark 2026 the year of the fire horse. 

We watched Barongsai, the Chinese Lion Dance. 

Many students learned how to celebrate “breaking the fast” with their Muslim host families.

And we reflected at Rumah Goshen for the last time. Each SSTer took a turn choosing a meaningful experience from the past 6 weeks, crafting a story and reflecting on how they have grown through their encounters across cultures. 

We have shared so many memories at Rumah Goshen: meeting host families, eating together, making music, asking big questions, traditional dance lessons and relaxing together.

And we celebrated the end of Study Term with a trip to Borobudur, which you can read more about right here.

As we prepare for the next phase of SST, we face the bittersweet task of saying goodbye and expressing our gratitude for everything we have received. Read more about our farewell ceremony here.